Chapter 75: The Gathering Omen

The echo of the mysterious man's warning lingered in the room long after he departed, wrapping itself around Marcus and Clara like an invisible shroud. The weight of the revelation pressed down on them, heavy and suffocating.

Marcus clenched his fists, trying to calm the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. "We need to protect the children," he said firmly. "Whatever this darkness is, we can't let it touch them."

Clara's gaze softened as she thought of Sylvie and Kael. "They're still too young to understand the gravity of what's happening. We must keep them safe, but we can't shelter them forever."

As they discussed their next moves, footsteps approached hurriedly down the hall. The door swung open, and Elara, one of their closest confidantes and advisors, burst into the room. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Marcus, Clara," she gasped. "There's been a disturbance in the northern border. Strange creatures have been sighted—creatures we've never encountered before."

Marcus's jaw clenched. "It's starting."

Elara nodded. "The council has been alerted, but we need your presence immediately. They fear this might be connected to the artifact."

Clara stood, already prepared. "We'll leave at once."

As they made their way to the council chambers, Marcus couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time. The appearance of these creatures, the strange man's warning—it was all connected. But how? And what was this darkness that had been unleashed?

When they entered the council room, the air was thick with tension. The elders sat in their designated seats, their expressions grave. At the head of the table sat Lord Eldric, the head of the council. He rose when Marcus and Clara entered.

"Thornhill," Eldric greeted them. "The reports from the north are troubling. These creatures—they are unlike anything we've seen before. They move through the shadows as if born from them, and they leave devastation in their wake."

Clara exchanged a glance with Marcus. "Do we know where they came from?"

Lord Eldric shook his head. "That is what we are trying to discern. But we fear it may be connected to the ancient forces you've uncovered. There are whispers of something stirring, something that hasn't been seen for centuries."

One of the council members, an elderly woman named Maren, spoke up. "The Thornhill family has always been linked to ancient magic, whether by fate or bloodline. Perhaps the artifact's discovery has awakened something that was meant to remain buried."

Marcus's voice was low. "If that's the case, then we are already in grave danger."

Eldric nodded gravely. "Indeed. And if these creatures are just the beginning, we must prepare for a much greater threat."

As the council discussed defenses, Marcus's mind drifted to his children. Kael and Sylvie had always been strong, but they were still so young. He feared what would happen if this darkness reached them. How could he protect them from a threat he barely understood himself?

When the meeting concluded, Marcus and Clara returned to their quarters, where Sylvie and Kael were playing in the courtyard, blissfully unaware of the growing danger. Clara watched them with a heavy heart. "How long do we have until they're drawn into this?"

Marcus placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll protect them, Clara. No matter what."

But even as he said the words, a deep, gnawing fear took root inside him. The shadows were closing in, and soon, they would have to confront the very darkness that sought to tear their family apart.